From resort ballrooms to repurposed port warehouses, Korean artists and curators are taking part in a wide range of exhibitions during Singapore Art Week (SAW) 2026, signaling a deeper engagement with Southeast Asia’s expanding contemporary art ecosystem.
Hosted annually by Singapore’s National Arts Council, SAW is among the region’s largest art events, unfolding each January across multiple venues and running alongside major platforms such as ART SG and S.E.A. Focus. The week attracts international curators, collectors and institutions, positioning Singapore as a key crossroads for contemporary art in Asia.
Rather than appearing as a single national pavilion, Korean participation this year is spread across diverse formats and locations, reflecting how artists and galleries are increasingly operating within Singapore’s role as a regional hub.
One of the most prominent Korean-linked projects is Moment & Face, on view at the Equarius Hotel Ballroom at Resorts World Sentosa through Jan. 30. Organized by Pitch by Pitch with support from the Singapore Tourism Board and Resorts World Sentosa, the group exhibition brings together six Korean artists, including actor-turned-painter Ha Ji-won, alongside Kim Ji-hoon, Nam Sang-woon, Eellos, JAY FLOW and REGO. By staging the show inside a resort complex rather than a conventional gallery, the exhibition aligns with SAW’s push to bring contemporary art into high-traffic, nontraditional spaces.
A more established institutional presence can be found at Gillman Barracks, Singapore’s contemporary gallery enclave. There, The Columns Gallery Singapore is presenting Whispers of Summer Forests, the first solo exhibition in Singapore by Korean painter Whee. Running through Feb. 28, the show features abstract works inspired by landscapes and travel, situating the artist within an international gallery context.
The Columns Gallery’s involvement extends to Tanjong Pagar Distripark, where it presents Isang Dipang Langit: Fragments of Memory, Fields of Now as part of SAW’s public programming. Curated by gallery founder Chang Dong-jo, the large-scale exhibition brings together 10 contemporary artists from the Philippines working across multiple media. Chang has said the project was designed to speak to SAW’s regional and global audience, using themes of memory, migration and urban life that resonate beyond national borders.
Nearby at Artspace @ Helutrans, the 6th VH AWARD is also being showcased during SAW, featuring newly commissioned media-based works by five finalists, including Korean artist Yeom In-hwa. The exhibition places technology-driven art within the same circuit as SAW’s major public installations.
The Korean presence continues at ART SG, Southeast Asia’s leading international art fair held at Marina Bay Sands. The Columns Gallery is participating in the fair’s Focus Digital sector, while Busan-based LEE & BAE is also exhibiting, highlighting how galleries beyond Seoul are using Singapore as a gateway to Southeast Asian markets.
For Chang, who is both curating exhibitions and representing artists at the fair, the overlap between artistic presentation and market activity is especially visible during SAW.
“Curating is about building a meaningful framework for the artists,” he noted. “But running a gallery also means thinking about how those works move and find new contexts after the exhibition.”